The Edge

Why Your Midsize Law Firm’s Thought Leadership May Not Be Breaking Through

Written by David L. Brown | Jan 8, 2025 5:21:09 PM

One of the toughest marketing challenges facing midsize law firms is how to break through the noise of the internet to reach their clients. And unfortunately, the task is not getting any easier.

As The New York Times recently described it, “Google and the big social platforms…have been flooded with A.I. spam [and] with fake news sites filled with stolen or made-up stories. There are Tik Toks of A.I. voices reading random text off of Reddit. … It’s no novel observation to say the internet has felt like it is in a state of decay for a while.”

Despite the chaos, law firms are uniquely well positioned to stand out as credible and trustworthy information sources—particularly if they prioritize high-quality, educational content. A thought leadership approach can demonstrate a firm’s expertise and directly address the needs of current and potential clients.

Thought Leadership Questions to Consider

Here are a few key questions midsize law firms should ask as they pursue a thought leadership strategy:

1. Does Your Current Content Address Clients’ Needs? Oftentimes, law firms and lawyers create content that fails to speak directly to the issues facing their clients. For example, a firm may issue an alert about a court decision, but may fail to offer context about what the decision means for clients. 

If clients are reading a law firm’s content, they are likely looking for answers about a specific legal question. Practical, actionable guidance adds value and elevates content into something more useful, and builds trust. 

As you craft thought leadership content, ask:

  • Does the subject matter affect clients, and if so, has the impact on clients been explicitly explained? 
  • Are you providing a unique insight on the issue—or are you offering the same material as dozens of other law firms?
  • Have you provided actionable steps clients can take in response to a development?

2. Are You Focusing on Promotional Messaging Over High-Value Content? Every business has promotional messages that it needs to convey. But a content stream that is overwhelmed by press releases about new hires, firm achievements, and other marketing-centric messages is unlikely to engage current or prospective clients. The focus should be on content aimed at educating your clients about the issues of interest to them.

  • Avoid mixing promotional messaging and thought leadership. This can confuse readers, undermine their trust, and suppress your website’s search engine rankings.
  • Maintain a consistent thought leadership publishing schedule. A consistent stream of thought leadership pieces builds reader trust and engagement.
3. Is Your Thought Leadership Content Aligned to Your Strategic Business Priorities? Your firm may have certain practices or industry areas that are tailor-made for producing a great deal of content. Labor and employment law, for example, can be a content firehose, because the near-constant shifts in regulation at the local, state, and federal level lend themselves to a steady stream of thought leadership updates. 

The problem is that you and your client base may be focused on a very different set of practice areas. If you allow an area like employment law to overwhelm your content stream, you may be sending the wrong message about your primary areas of expertise. You may also be missing a chance to demonstrate your prowess in areas that may provide opportunities for future growth.

  • Consider measuring the number of content items focused on each practice and determining whether the numbers align with your strategic goals.
  • Adjust your thought leadership production to highlight the firm’s expertise in strategically important areas. This may require firm management to incentivize lawyers in key areas to contribute more thought leadership material. 
4. Do You Know What Information Your Clients Want and Need? Firms may be delivering content that is unhelpful and that, from a client’s perspective, simply adds to the noise of the internet. This is because firms may not have a clear understanding of their clients’ information needs and what causes them to engage with an article, podcast, video, or blog post.

Firms should consider:

  • Regularly collecting data from clients to help shape their thought leadership strategies and refine them over time. 
  • Survey clients formally or informally, asking about the types of content they wish to consume, how often they want to hear from the firm, and what issues engage them.
  • Monitoring clients’ own thought leadership offerings to learn what they are attempting to address with their own customers or clients. Look for ways to help in this process, including partnering with clients to deliver insights.

Thought leadership provides firms with a chance to showcase their depth of knowledge while signaling that they are at the forefront of emerging legal challenges. Excelling at this content can help firms overcome the ever-more chaotic nature of the internet, foster deeper client relationships, and drive business growth.

Do you have questions, feedback, or topics you would like The Edge to cover? Send a note to david@good2bsocial.com.
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